Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-01
ryRo,s ressuLArIoSs.
A New Congressman's Dihicuities
in Making the Rounds.


From the Ne,o Yo-h str.
have been asked how ] spent my first
Ten DAYS IN Congress. | will tell you.
When reached Washington found
stack of letters about foot high awaiting
INV attention and answers. They were
from constituents; men who had voted for
me. and whom l desired to have repeat
the kindness. They asked for intormauon
unon every variet SQf pn Bile buslness,ano
required of me perApHdl visits TO all OF the
denartments OFkfEe executive bra en- OIL
fine government. Every letter asked some
eort of contludrum which solomon IN al
his glory could not have answered, Win
mi first seeking information at the ioun-
tain head, Will tell you how obtained
the material for an answer TO my hrst
goading constituent.
IL was an internal revenue case, L
spent one morning lnquiring IN when de-
partment to find the revenue once. u was
nearly noon when | ascertalned J"aC IL
was in the Treasury Department Con
yress assemblies at noon. aud left my let
ter on the desk at the hotel and went to
take nv seat as national lawmakeT.
There was one day gone, on one letter
The next dav I went to the Treasury
Departmont. The sable attendant IN
formed me that the Secretary had not
finished opening his mall and c0u q see
no one until II O'Clock. | walked ABOUT
the corridors of the immense building
trying to be patient, and, being religious
man. 1 made use of no irreverent express
sions of my disappointment and c0agrln
at the reception accorded member OF
Congress. Promptly At II O'Clock l
presented myself at the Secretary's
door, and found that there We're
about fortNDeople ahead Of me, and al
of them members anf Senatorso en-
tered the room, and saw that tach man
required not less than five minutes OF the
time OF the great man, and IL quickly o.
Cured to me that il would be about :
O'Clock before my turn would come, 81 /
walked down Pennsylvania avenue TO-
ward the capitol, drea1& ng Of the records
made by Clay, Webster. Douglas, Conk-
ling and M own possibilities. There
were two days gone on one letter, and my
mail continued 20 arrive.
The next day | reached the Office OF the
Secretary few minutes before Ii O'Clock,
and took my seat in the room, as near
the Secretary as | could get, walking
right past some OF my older and more eX-
perienced colleagues. The Secretary was
through with his mail cary, and was
listening to Senator Cockrell, OF NJ iss0uri,
concerning an internal revenue case simI-
lar to mine. listened. and the Secretary
said: "Senator, just tell tue clerk TO make
the cas- up as you desire, and thai / said
so" Mr.. Cockrell walked away, and Mr..
Morrison of Illinois was the next man
greeted and heard by the Secretary. lie
occupied ten minutes. 1t was again get.
ting along toward noon, and | stood up
and walked right up TO the throne, ana
waited to catch the eye OF the Secretary. /
caught it. / took the hand extended TO me
cordially and gracefully, and introduced
mvself. The Secretary said: II am glad
indeed that you have called upon me. 1t
will please me to serve you at any time"
He inquired kindly after several Of The
prominent party leaders in my section,
and was charmed with his manner and
the interest he manifested in me-, | re-
NAMED with him fully quarjer of an
hour, and was interrupted by Senator
Beck, OF Kentucky. who came up TO the
Secretary aud said: Excuse me, but /
want to know why that appointment has
not been made, as you promis d. The
Secretary had to turn from me and answ +
the Senator, and so babe him good morn
ing and went away. There were three
days gone, and my letter remained unan-
swered. My mail continued to come in
daily by the peck.
The next day went in at II O'CLOCK and
walked up as boldly as Senator Beck had
done, and shook hands with the Secretary
while he was talking with another m m
Der, and he said: "Glad TO see you. EX-
cuse me one moment" and had 10 sub
side. ielt abashed, but realized sudden
" that although was q Representative |
was not vet Senator. a member of Con-
gress is not 50 great man in Washington
as he is at home. Solid lesson No. |. |
went out TO ponder, and wspded my way
60 the House, where | felpmyseR on an
equality with every one of my fellows.
There were four days gone, aud the Inter
was yet unanswered.
The next sQhSucceeded
The Secretary at eXactfvnG
chatted with me minute and D.
business in business-,i6e mannSyd
] tod him as briefly as possible. He
touched an electric button, and a mes
senger appeared. Said he:"rell the chief
clerk TO come here" The messenger con-
yeyed the message. and in a moment the
chief clerk was before us. "This gentle
man" said the Secretary, represents
this First district OF Blank, and he wants
Information upon an internal revenue
case. Do for him whatever he wants"
With a profound bow to the
splendid and accommodating Secre-
tary, ! departed the chef
clerk. He is one o most gentlemanly
men l have et, and just the man
for the plac&a1 wanted to know ali
about my district, just as the Secretary
my prosperity and success. He sent tor
the Commissioner OF Internal Revenue
put that Official was out OF the building;
and, as he neon hour was approaching,
j again took my departure, anu the fifth
day was gone.
Another morning found me In the office
OF the chief clerk at 0:30 O'Clock, and he
was looking for me. He received
me most cordially and kindly, ana again
sent for the Commissioner. In ten min
utes tbat official came, and / was intro
duced TO HIM. He IS the man tor whom
have been looking all tkdays when
was running after the Secretary. He
receives directions from the chief clerk to
accommodate me by order of the Secre-
fary, and walked down the corridor with
him to his office. He is man thoroughly
posted in political affairs, and knows
many OF the best meu in MY district.
never saw 20 many good men and never eX-
bausted SO much time pleasantly without
accomplishing anything, as have during
the past week. The nour with the Com.
missioner passed 80 quickly ana so com
paniOna6ly that 1t was noon before
mentioned my business specially, and the
sixth day had gone. A whole weeK, for
which the government paid me $lG0, and
hadn't earned one cent. My constituent
was looking for my answer every day,
.~.G az In oef